Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with stereo and mp3

I need an iPod stereo with some special requirements. Help?!

suburbanrobot — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:53:15 -0800

I'm getting married in 3 weeks, and I need some sort of stereo for the wedding ceremony to play music from my iPod. It will not be amplified, so it needs to be able to play loud enough to play outdoors for about 60 people, without a massive amount of distortion. Oh, and as a pipe dream, it would be optionally battery operated. Suggestions? It's worth pointing out that the stereo doesn't need to be specifically for iPods. As long as it has an aux input, that's just fine. I'm really most worried about the volume. The wedding is outdoors and near a noisy area (near Battery Park in Charleston if you are familiar with the area).

Converting vinyl records to digital files using an existing turntable...

You Should See the Other Guy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:14:35 -0800

I like my vinyl records. I want to make digital files out of them. What are my options ... which don't include a new turntable and, preferably but not absolutely, don't require my computer and stereo to be in the same room? I'm on a Mac.

Playing tunes.

Science! — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:53:48 -0800

Can the standard (type II, I think) stereo/CD system in a 2007 Toyota Corolla play MP3 CDs? Or what are my options? I will be going on a road trip in a 2007 Toyota Corolla with a factory standard stereo system that I believe is the type II stereo option. Can this thing read MP3 CDs? A preliminary test of a quickly burned CD says no, but the disc was old and scratched.

2nd part. Can this stereo read CD-RW discs burned as normal CDs (ie, not MP3 CDs)?

3rd part. If all else fails is there a reasonably priced FM transmitter for MP3 players that works well in this car and is available in chain stores?

4th part. Is there an audio in jack somewhere that I missed in the manual? Again, this is a car with really no extra options.

Playing records and listening to my iMac through one system

Foam Pants — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:32:39 -0800

I would like to set up a system where my turntable and my iMac all flow out of a nice set of speakers. I have no idea where to start. This is the junk I have:
1. iMac
2. Pioneer belt-driven turntable with audio out hardwired and no amplifier
3. a super crappy stereo with half of the speakers missing. Funny story, I had to toss one because a mouse made a nest in it. I want to make this ugly, usable-space-sucker go away.
4. Basic Airport
5. Record collection that I like to play AS RECORDS
6. a sizable MP3 collection that I play through iTunes

Stuff I am willing to purchase
1. New turntable, even though my current one sports a kick-ass sticker collection
2. amplifier
3. Another Airport
4. Sweet speakers
5. Something else a dunder head like me doesn't realize she needs.
6. The services of a male escort.

While I love my music, I am an idiot who doesn't know jack about setting up an audio system. Please advise me, you can be condescending if it helps it come out.

Home Stereo of the Future, revisted

rouftop — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:34:15 -0800

Looking for a home stereo setup that supports internet radio, traditional radio, CD's and MP3's without a computer in the middle. My wife and I want to buy a nice home stereo system that can handle both the old and the new. This earlier thread from 2005 asks very similar questions to what I'm looking for, but a lot can change in three years.

My wife enjoys listening to internet radio stations using iTunes, but she hates having to leave her computer on when she's just listening to music. She also has an iPod which she uses to listen to audiobooks while at the gym, but sometimes she wants to continue them at home without having to put on earphones. And of course we still have / buy CD's. (heck, sometimes my wife pulls out cassette tapes from high school!)

Ideally it'd also be able to handle surround sound and speakers in different rooms in the house.

Any suggestions?

A cheap mp3 player for a 16-year-old girl...

Ian A.T. — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 12:48:32 -0800

Please help my girlfriend buy a cheap mp3 player for a 16-year-old girl in foster care she's "adopted" for the holidays. Every year, my girlfriend participates in a program where she gets the name and Christmas wish list of an underprivileged kid. This year, she's shopping for a 16-year-old girl whose parents have had their parental rights revoked and who is currently a ward of the state living in some kind of foster home. Quote:

"One of the things on her list is an MP3 player, which is totally one of those things that would make some people scream "what!?", the implication being that if you can have an MP3 player you can't be in particularly dire straits, but I feel like I understand: I mean, why can't she have what everyone else has, you know?

"On the other hand, it seems like a dicey gift for someone in her situation: how is she going to get music for it? Is she going to have regular access to a computer? Is she living in some foster care setting where there are multiple opportunities for someone to steal it?

"So basically, I want to get her an MP3 player but I sure as hell don't want to get her an iPod, something both expensive and utterly desirable by others; I'm looking for something a little more toylike, as I think that's probably all that she needs.

"Does this exhausting explanation bring any product to your mind? I tried to go online and read reviews last night, but that always confuses me 10 times more.

"As for my budget, I don't think I have a very realistic notion of how much a cheap MP3 player should cost. She has other stuff on her list that I'd rather spend money on (like clothes and school supplies) so this is more of a second-tier present, you know? Definitely less than $100... like way less."

Ian here again. I know one of the stock AskMe answers is "we need more information," but the information we have about her situation is all we're going to get.

Thanks, guys!

Non-audiophile setting up Small biz stereo

ibechase — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:40:09 -0800

I'm setting up a stereo system for a small business but for some reason I can't figure out exactly what I need. Details after the jump... It's a small salon that consists of a fairly large waiting area, and 3 separate rooms. The primary source of music will be an ipod which will just interface via a headphone to RCA adapter. What I need is a receiver (which I have found a few of, but none that will support 4 sets of speakers.), 4 sets of speakers and some sort of interface/box that will allow me to independently control the volume in each room.

So, I'm looking for the following:
-A way to control the volume to each set of speakers independently. (Most important)
-Recommendations for a receiver and affordable speakers.
-A way to complete the entire system for <$1,000.

To sum it up, I essentially need someone to tell me "This is the receiver that will support 4 sets of speakers and control the volume independently." or "There is a(n) _____ box that allows you to split the audio output to 4 sets of speakers and mix down volumes for each set."

Any help is appreciated, also any creative ideas on how to implement a variation of this system would be tremendous. Thanks!

Syncing audio across multiple PCs

skwm — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:04:42 -0800

Two PCs. Two stereos. How to get them to play the same mp3s at the same time? There's a stereo in the front of my house, hooked up to a PC running iTunes or some other mp3 playing software. There's a PC in the back of the house, also hooked up to a PC with iTunes or similar. The PCs are on the same Ethernet network. I'd like to use one of the PCs as a "front end" where I can manage the song queue, and have both PCs/stereos play the song a tthe exact same time, without any lag issues. Is there software that can do this?

From Computer to Stereo

selfnoise — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 17:39:34 -0800

What's the cheapest "good" solution for getting my music from computer to stereo? I've got my PC in one room, and my stereo in the next room over. I don't have wireless internet at the moment, and I can't run a wire through since I'm not supposed to operate on the apartment and my wife doesn't want cables snaking under the door. (I haven't actually had this conversation, but I can imagine it vividly) On the other hand, a wireless solution would require me to buy a wireless router (I think) on top of everything else. I was looking at this Logitech product, which is about as much as I want to pay total, but it hasn't been around long enough for reviews to accrue. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Anyone know about portable mic preamps or recording on mp3 players?

sirion — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 13:54:56 -0800

Are my recording needs met by a Creative Zen Nano Plus? If not, what device would easily allow fairly good recording from an unamplified single point stereo mic onto my computer (Mac) at low cost? Alternatively, anyone know much about small, cheap, portable microphone preamps? I'm trying to record music lessons and masterclasses and put them onto my computer at greater than playback speed. Right now, I use a Sharp Minidisc recorder, record using a single point stereo T-mic, then play it back into the microphone port in my computer and record it. This is a bit of a pain, and I'd like to make a bit of an improvement to this process.

I just got a $100 giftcard to bestbuy, and noticed that Creative Labs mp3 players are currently 25% off and have line-in recording capabilities. Might these fit my needs? Would I need a microphone preamp? Are there small, cheap preamps?

On a related note, it seems as if a preamp would allow me to record onto my iPod with the help of iPodLinux. Is this true?

Stereo to mono?

LordSludge — Wed, 06 Jul 2005 12:47:57 -0800

Seeking a freeware MS Windows Media Player plug-in to play stereo mp3s as mono. I very often listen to mp3s using only one ear-bud headphone, but I only get one channel, left or right. Is there a free plug-in that will play my stereo mp3s as mono? If I can't find a software solution, I'll just get hardware 1/8" plug adapter, just curious...

Multimedia Jukebox with Web Interface?

bryanzera — Thu, 12 May 2005 22:51:23 -0800

Does anyone have any reccomendations for multimedia jukebox software with a web interface? I want to connect a linux box to my home stereo and be able to control it from a web interface hosted on that box. I want it not to require X to keep it thin, so XMMS plus a plugin won't work. The ability to rescan watch folders from the interface because I'll be moving my music collection from work back to home often.

Am I stuck rolling my own or does someone know of a magical piece of software that will make my life complete? Freshmeat and Sourceforge provided lukewarm results.

Best format for MP3/WMA car CD player?

Quartermass — Thu, 10 Jun 2004 09:04:09 -0800

I just bought a new car stereo that plays MP3/WMA cds. My question: which format is better in the car?

setting up a stereo system using my laptop as a music source

jmd82 — Tue, 16 Dec 2003 08:29:09 -0800

Question about setting up a stereo system using my laptop as a music source [more inside]. For the past 2 years, I've been playing music through my laptop using winamp which I have connected to a stereo receiver with 2 speakers hooked up to it, but I want to do 2 things:
1) Somehow make the connection between my laptop and the stereo wireless. Right now, I have an output from my microphone jack on my laptop which I split into two stereo wires hooking up into my stereo. I'm curious if there's a wireless adapter that would send a stereo signal from my laptop that can be received at my stereo? I have like 5,000 wires right now and its kinda' annoying.
2) I'm looking for a decent, but cheap subwoofer (then again, whe don't those 2 themes go together). I'm looking to spend less than $100 on a hopefully decent sub. Only problem is I've heard that you need a sub-in on a receiver, and all I have is the spliced-wire inputs. Will this be a problem with getting a sub? I'm not exactly an audiophile, but just looking for some extra sub-power seeing as my 2 hand-me-down infiniti's are starting to loose their touch.